EFFECTS OF REDUCED FAT INTAKE ON SERUM-LIPIDS IN HEALTHY-YOUNG MEN AND WOMEN AT THE US-MILITARY-ACADEMY

To assess the benefits of Army nutrition initiatives reducing intakes of fat and cholesterol, the authors studied the dietary intakes of cad ets at the U,S. Military Academy and compared these results and relate d nutritional indicators (body composition, serum lipid status) to dat a obtained one decade earlier, The regular Cadet Mess menu provided 16 .6 MJ/day of energy with 34% derived from fat, Actual intakes, includi ng supplements, averaged 14.9 +/- 2.9 and 9.7 +/- 2.1 MJ/day for 119 m ale and 86 female cadets, respectively, Most cadets derived <35% of en ergy from dietary fat (11% from saturated fatty acids), representing a significant reduction since the previous study, in which nearly one-t hird of cadets received 40 to 45% of calories from fats; cholesterol i ntakes were markedly reduced, Serum cholesterol levels were approximat ely 7% lower, but were less affected than predicted by the reductions in fat and cholesterol intakes; serum low-density lipoprotein-choleste rol was also significantly reduced, Fasting serum insulin correlated w ith saturated fat intake in female cadets, indicating another health r isk factor affected by intakes, The authors conclude that nutrition in itiatives reducing energy derived from fats and total cholesterol inta ke have had a beneficial effect on the nutritional status of this fit young population.